Alumni Volunteer Opportunities

The university looks to our alumni volunteers to help shape the Case Western Reserve University of tomorrow! Alumni volunteers play an invaluable role in everything from recruiting new students to planning alumni events around the world. Whether your interests lean toward advising students, admissions and recruitment, assisting with regional programming, or helping the community, there are many opportunities for you to get involved.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors

The Case Western Reserve University Alumni Association’s Board of Directors is dedicated to fostering strong and active partnerships between the university and its graduates. Board involvement provides opportunities for alumni to engage in strategic university planning efforts and play an important role in the university's mission.

Whether you have been a past board member for one of the schools and would like to continue your leadership, or if you are just beginning to increase your alumni involvement, we’re looking for dedicated volunteers to advocate for CWRU. We welcome interested alumni to volunteer their time and talent.

Serve on a Committee

Board and non-board members participate in committees that include: Chapters, Affinity Groups, Student and Young Alumni Outreach Committee, Communications and Lifelong Learning, Governance and Recognition.

To request more information about getting involved, please contact alumnirelations@case.edu or 216.368.6280 or toll-free 800.866.6280.

Local Chapter Involvement

The university continues to grow its alumni chapters across the country and around the world. Alumni volunteers, whether serving as chapter leaders or assisting with specific tasks or events, are essential to our regional programming. We seek volunteers to participate at the chapter level in event planning, recruitment of local alumni, participation in programming and assuming leadership roles.

Alumni chapters work with The Alumni Association to plan annual programming. Chapter events and programming may include:

baseball games and other sporting events, including CWRU student sports

Study Abroad-Alumni Connections

Case Western Reserve University’s Study Abroad-Alumni Connections program was created by the Center for International Affairs and The Alumni Association to bring current students and alumni together around the globe. To start the discussion, students and alumni are matched via email either before the student’s departure or during their international stay. Depending on availability, students and alumni may consider meeting one-on-one for coffee, visiting a tourist hotspot or attending a cultural event. Alumni are welcome to invite students to alumni chapter meetings or events and, depending on class size, a group dinner for students and local alumni may be arranged.

Alumni Admission Ambassadors

CWRU Connect: Alumni Career Network

The Alumni Association and the Office of Post Graduate Planning and Experiential Education offer the CWRU Connect: Alumni Career Network for alumni volunteers who want to assist current undergraduate and graduate students with career advice and networking. CWRU Connect also contains our online alumni directory for peer-to-peer networking. During onboarding or when you edit your profile select "willing to help with" options such as "Advising on courses and paths within a major" or "Conducting mock interviews." Students may then request 15—30 minute conversations or a short chat message to learn about your journey. You can help out as often as you’d like, on your own schedule.

Upload your LinkedIn profile or sign-up via email to complete your profile. Then, join communities of alumni and students who share your interests or live in a chapter near you. Contribute to the conversation today!

If you have questions about signing up, please contact The Alumni Association at 216.368.6280 (toll free: 800.866.6280) or alumnirelations@case.edu.

Career Connections

Career Connections is an opportunity provided through the Office of Post Graduate Planning and Experiential Education for Freshman and Sophomore year students to shadow an alumnus in the student's academic and geographical location of interest. Each year, this popular program has over 100 students express interest for 50 available spots and has been recognized by Student Affairs with a Positive Impact Award in 2014-15.

With support from The Alumni Association of CWRU, the last six years has seen over 300 students shadow Zoologists, Attorneys, Judges, Physicians, Researchers, Genetic Counselors, Consultants, Investment Bankers, Accountants, Entrepreneurs, and Nurses. From Florida to California to New York City, this opportunity serves to promote retention at CWRU and help students envision their future and commit to academic success to achieve their goals.

Career Connections takes place during CWRU's spring break. If you are interested in a student shadow, please contact alumnirelations@case.edu or Laura Papcum at the Office of Post Graduate Planning and Experiential Education.

Other Opportunities in Support of Students

The university offers a variety of opportunities for alumni to get involved with students. In addition to recruitment and career assistance, you can interact with students through a variety of campus offices including Greek Life, the Office of Student Community Service and the Office of Multicultural Affairs. In addition, there are many active programs run by individual schools and associations. Many of these are volunteer-driven and may include networking, mentoring and event planning.

Cleveland-area Opportunities

Summer on the Cuyahoga

Summer on the Cuyahoga (SOTC) is a unique program that combines a summer internship with an immersive, Cleveland-centric experience for select students from Case Western Reserve, Colgate, Cornell, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, Smith, University of Chicago and Yale.

SOTC's mission is to recruit talented college students for summer internships and a unique immersion into the community with the ultimate goal of having graduates build networks and permanently locate in Greater Cleveland. SOTC is driven by alumni volunteers and mentors. If you are passionate about Cleveland and want to help showcase the region's exciting opportunities to students, this opportunity is for you.

International Friendship Program

CWRU's International Friendship Program matches newly enrolled international students with local alumni for one year. Learn about a different culture and show your hometown pride to a newcomer. The match is for one academic year; international students and their hosts get together every 4-6 weeks for a home-cooked meal, to attend university events or visit Cleveland attractions.

Spartan 2 Spartan: Second Year Student-Alumni Coaching Program

In February 2019, the Office of Student Activities & Leadership will offer a program to connect CWRU students and alumni.Spartan 2 Spartan: Second Year Student-Alumni Coaching Programpairs second-year students with recent alumni who will help them explore the next steps on their CWRU journey.

Influenced by CWRU Professor Dr. Richard Boyatzis’ Intentional Change Theory, alumni are provided training to use in their personal or professional lives, but also to put into practice through coaching a second-year student. Through the student-alumni coaching program, you will engage in meaningful conversations with current students as you help them develop a positive self-concept, narrow their career focus and set achievable goals.

Maltz Performing Arts Center

Alumni are welcome to volunteer as ushers and tour guides for this newly renovated arts center, and in turn, get the opportunity to witness renowned performances and special lectures. If interested, please reach out to Chamois Williams at The Alumni Association of CWRU or Jordan Davis, House Manager at the Maltz.

About the Maltz:

With the incredible renovation of the Temple building now complete, the building begins a new chapter as the Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center. The only project of its kind in the country, it is the result of a historic partnership between Case Western Reserve University and The Temple – Tifereth Israel, and the extraordinary generosity and vision of Milton and Tamar Maltz and the many other individuals and organizations who have supported this unprecedented project.

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Think[box] volunteers are active, intergenerational volunteers including alumni, retirees, as well as active students is vital to the daily operations of this center for innovation. Volunteers assist in various roles, primarily greeting visitors and offering tours. Persons volunteering at think[box] come from a wide variety of backgrounds including arts, science, business finance, and management, legal and many other disciplines.

No technical background of any sort is necessary to join the volunteer team. All volunteers receive orientation and training pertinent to their assignment and are eligible for volunteers-only benefits including free project storage space, discounted materials, and extended access to the facility.

The time commitment would be at least one 4-hour time block each week - morning, evening, and weekend time blocks are available. Parking will be provided.

School-Based Volunteering

We hope you will join us as an alumni volunteer! To learn more about these volunteer opportunities and to express interest in learning more, please contact The Alumni Association at 800.866.6280 or email alumnirelations@case.edu. Case Western Reserve University is extremely proud to have you as a member of its community. Please join us in our efforts to elevate our university to new heights.